Secretary of State hails £100m wind farm deal during Belfast Harbour visit

Belfast Harbour

Secretary of State Hilary Benn has praised a landmark £100 million offshore wind investment during a visit to Belfast Harbour, where two of the largest planned wind farms in the Irish Sea are set to be assembled.

The visit comes after Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer announced at COP30 that the project could create more than 300 jobs, following the major agreement by joint venture partners JERA Nex bp and EnBW to lease Belfast Harbour’s offshore wind terminal.

The site will serve as the operations hub for the construction of the Mona and Morgan wind farms.

The facilities will support the assembly of two of the biggest offshore wind developments planned in the region. Once operational, the Mona and Morgan farms could generate enough clean energy to supply the equivalent of around 3 million UK homes each year, significantly bolstering the UK’s energy security.

(L-R) M3 Wind representative Stuart Barnes, Belfast Harbour CEO Joe O’Neill, Secretary of State for Northern Ireland Hilary Benn, Chair of Belfast Harbour Commissioners Dr Theresa Donaldson, and M3 Wind representative Mark Hudson.

During his visit, Mr Benn met senior representatives from EnBW and JERA Nex bp before taking a boat tour to view the ongoing development work, which aims to have the site ready for operation by 2028.

The deal is anticipated to act as a major driver of regional economic growth, strengthening the local supply chain and boosting the area’s attractiveness to external investors.

Belfast Harbour has already committed £90 million to a new deepwater berth designed to support future offshore wind activity as well as cruise tourism.

Following the visit, the Secretary of State said:

“This commitment of over £100 million to Belfast Harbour is fantastic news for Northern Ireland and the wider UK, generating jobs and economic growth while supporting the development of affordable clean energy.

“Having met with the joint venture partners and seen the scale of the development work at Belfast Harbour, it’s clear that this deal will secure Northern Ireland’s key role in the UK’s clean energy future.

“The UK Government’s industrial strategy is boosting the industries of the future and helping to ensure greater energy security with UK-generated power.”

Michael Class, Senior Vice President Generation Portfolio Development, welcomed this next phase of investment, saying:

“EnBW is excited to announce this milestone commitment and the next stage of our planned investment in the UK’s clean energy and industrial infrastructure.

“With 15 years of experience in the offshore wind sector, we are proud to collaborate with partners to bring investment, jobs, and growth to a market at the forefront of clean energy deployment.

“We are optimistic about fostering a long-lasting partnership between Germany, the UK, and Northern Ireland.”

Nathalie Oosterlinck, CEO of JERA Nex bp, highlighted the strategic importance of the deal:

“The Mona and Morgan joint venture’s planned commitment to Belfast Harbour is an important contribution to the infrastructure which has the potential to drive the energy transition.

“This highlights the power of collaboration in driving energy security – the offshore wind industry can not only power millions of homes with clean, homegrown energy but also support job creation and local economic growth.

“Strategic investments in renewable energy could make a lasting impact on both the environment and the economy.”

Chair of Belfast Harbour Commissioners, Dr Theresa Donaldson, said the port is ideally positioned to support the next generation of renewable energy infrastructure:

“We were delighted to welcome the Secretary of State to Belfast Harbour. Belfast is the only port on the island of Ireland with offshore wind capabilities and we are delighted to work with the Mona and Morgan projects. Together we are helping meet demand for clean energy as Northern Ireland, Ireland and Great Britain strive to reach net zero targets.

“As offshore wind technology evolves, ports will play an increasingly central role and Belfast Harbour is uniquely placed thanks to the combination of our existing facility, our expertise, local supply chain and location to be a key enabler of the power stations of the future in the Irish, Celtic and North Seas.”

The announcement follows the Prime Minister’s engagement with world leaders at COP30 earlier this month, reinforcing the UK’s role as a global leader in climate action and in the transition to homegrown, clean energy.